Calm Anxiety and Stress with Holiday Scents

Calm Anxiety & Stress with Seasonal Stress

Everyone loves the holidays! Its both exciting and stressful. Planning for events and just trying to make your family and friends happy for the holiday but boy, can it be overwhelming and stressful just trying to make everything perfect.  Just thinking about the upcoming holidays probably has your anxiety on 10 already.

Did you know that you could calm anxiety and stress with the sweet smell of holiday scents?

Here are a few:

Vanilla: Even though, vanilla is not technically an essential oil it still has amazing benefits when it comes to boosting libido and easing anxiety symptoms. It has been used for centuries to help balance hormones, improve your mood, and quality of life. Vanilla oil has a calming effect on the brain, which helps with anger, insomnia, stress and anxiety. Vanilla’s sedative effects also help the body naturally lower its blood pressure by relaxing the body and mind. Plus doesn’t the thought of a big bowl of vanilla ice cream instantly make you feel better?

Cinnamon:  One of the best tasting spices on earth has amazing beneficial properties. Cinnamon’s number one benefit is it lowers blood pressure. The smell of cinnamon awakes the senses and produces the feeling of happiness and joy. It is used as a physical and emotional stimulant. Research has shown that it reduces pain, irritability and headaches.  Its essential oil or just the fragrance alone helps loosen tight muscles and increase circulation. 

Never mind a spoon full of sugar…sprinkle a little cinnamon on your favorite desert and not only 

enjoy the taste but enjoy the benefits.

Frankincense: For centuries frankincense has held a great value for its fragrance and healing properties. Researchers say that it deepens your breathing, which is why it has been used during meditation for religious and spiritual ceremonies for centuries. It has also proved to be beneficial in the treatment of depression and anxiety.

Myrrh: Myrrh along with frankincense was one of the gifts from the three wise men when Jesus Christ was born. Myrrh was mentioned in the bible 152 times. During biblical times it was also commonly used during religious ceremonies to help produce a meditative state during prayer and religious ceremonies.

Need help with quieting your mind during meditation try a few drops in an essential oil diffuser or oil burner and experience it spicy, sultry fragrance.

Peppermint: Peppermint is a natural stimulant that helps concentration during mental fatigue. Peppermint can also be used to awaken the senses and boost energy levels. Peppermint has been proven to help boost mood, ease stress and exhaustion. 

Resources:
Worwood, Valerie Ann. The Complete Book of Essential Oils and Aromatherapy: over 800 Natural, Nontoxic, and Fragrant Recipes to Create Health, Beauty, and Safe Home and Work Environments. New World Library, 2016.


Purchon, N., Cantele, L., & In Bordian, T. (2014). The complete aromatherapy & essential oils handbook for everyday wellness.